Hella

Where did this word come from?

Why is it only in Northern California that people feel the need to use it on an every-other-sentence basis?

For those not familiar, "hella" can basically be replaced with "really". But it's not.

What's worse? ...If these articulate conversationalists decide "hella" isn't appropriate for those they're speaking to, they go as far as to replace it with the word "hecka".

Hecka?

Really?

brilliant

Snow Over the Bowl

Currently stretched out on the recliner, trying desperately to avoid any tv football speak.

Matt and I have decided to start the tradition of going boarding every Superbowl Sunday from here on out. Yep, we are Super Bowl Party Poopers.

And the 'kickoff' of our lovely little tradition was thoroughly enjoyable.

Among Many Attempts

...to actually get a reach-around picture with myself and the animals. I always end up getting my face slimed with the other one off doing their own thing. Prime example:

Interesting Theory

"Nothing shows a man's character more than what he laughs at."

~Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe


...So is it bad that I laugh hysterically when people fall down?

Color Me "Certified"

That is all.

"Certifiable"

So tomorrow (I think) is the Big Day. The culmination of the last 6 weeks of training. The reason I say "I think" is because this whole culmination thing was supposed to happen on Thursday, but as you can see my managers aren't exactly worried about punctuality.

So I'm getting "Certified". Getting "certified" means that I finally get in to "Production". Getting into "production" means I can finally sit at my desk and make outbound phone calls and try to get people to come into the school so I can talk them into enrolling.

Getting "Certified" consists of spending approximately an hour and a half with my manager posing as a prospective student. Taking him through the 35-slide power point presentation that I have now memorized... The presentation includes a component where I will take about 25 minutes questioning the "applicant" about his education and employment history and his career objectives to ensure I'm placing him in the correct (one of eight) programs... Then, I will take him on a tour of the campus, making sure to hit at least 12 "features", explaining each, you know, as an expert... And finally we commence the presentation, and I "close" the "student" by having him sign on the dotted line...

I went on a mock Interview as these things are called on Thursday. It was my first. And I am horrified to say that it was a disaster. It was the first time that I had the chance to actually piece every thing together.

They say no one ever fails these things. And I'm not so worried about that.

It's the ass-of-myself that I'm bound to make in front of real applicants that turns my stomach.

Pass the Carving Kit

Tonight we're going to a gift exchange. A little late, huh?

Well, we're going to exchange all the gifts we got that we really don't want. It makes for a fun little night.

Last year we got this horrible, 26-year-old fruit carving kit. (As old as me!) ...It obviously wasn't actually a gift my friend had received last Christmas, but she couldn't resist. There was an instruction book. With pictures. Did you know that you can make a trout out of fruit?

Anyway, we never actually used it, and are planning to start a tradition of "pass-the-carving kit". Naturally, I can't post this before we leave... So I'll let you know how it turns out. ~ 4:01pm

We did the whole wrap the gift in the big box to throw the gift receiver off thing. And it worked. I am thoroughly excited to have this out of our possession.

In return, we received some pretty interesting "prizes", as our hostess liked to put it:

Some of the party-goers had just gotten pregnant, and decided to pass on some things that they might not need any longer. ...Just hoping it's not a sign. At least for now... ~ 11:14pm